Harris and Trump neck and neck for Georgia donations

ATLANTA — With two months to go before the presidential election, Georgia donors are sending millions in donations to the top two candidates.

Georgia supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris donated about $2.7 million during the month of August compared to roughly $1.3 million sent to former President Donald Trump’s campaign by his in-state supporters, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis of the latest data from the Federal Election Commission.

These totals are similar to fundraising during July when Harris kickstarted her campaign. Harris raised nearly the same amount as during July, and Trump has raised about $400,000 more in August than the previous month.

Overall, Trump has now raised $9 million in the state this campaign cycle, starting at the beginning of 2023. Biden and Harris have accumulated $8.7 million. This is a notable change from two months before, when Trump had raised almost twice as much as Biden and Harris, combined, at the end of June. Much of the gap between the two campaigns closed in July, when Harris received a burst in fundraising following her announced presidential run. Harris’ sustained fundraising haul in August has brought the two campaigns to roughly equal donations from Georgians in total.

These funds include contributions from individuals who donated more than $200 directly to the campaigns or whose donations were transferred to the campaigns through affiliated committees. Money from super PACs, outside groups and small dollar donors are not included.

The Harris campaign’s highest daily fundraising was on Aug. 25 with almost $470,000, the day after her announcement to visit Georgia on two-day bus tour with running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The Harris campaign’s fundraising was sporadic throughout the month with sharp bursts in donations on certain days. Overall, Harris averaged $86,000 in donations each day, almost double Trump’s daily average that month. During the Democratic National Convention, Harris raised about $320,000.

Trump’s single-day fundraising peaked at $73,000 when independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. dropped out of the race and endorsed him. Throughout the month, the Trump campaign’s fundraising was stable, earning an average of about $41,000 per day.

There was no surge in fundraising on or after Trump’s rally in Atlanta on Aug. 3.